EP0553159B1 - Passive optical network - Google Patents

Passive optical network Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0553159B1
EP0553159B1 EP91917894A EP91917894A EP0553159B1 EP 0553159 B1 EP0553159 B1 EP 0553159B1 EP 91917894 A EP91917894 A EP 91917894A EP 91917894 A EP91917894 A EP 91917894A EP 0553159 B1 EP0553159 B1 EP 0553159B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tdma
optical
master
head
end station
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP91917894A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0553159A1 (en
Inventor
Donald Eric Arthur 65 Northgate Street Clarke
Michael Anthony 7 Eldred Avenue Hale
Jeremy Brian 9 Morgan Court Chuter
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
British Telecommunications PLC
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British Telecommunications PLC
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Publication date
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Publication of EP0553159A1 publication Critical patent/EP0553159A1/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
    • H04B10/27—Arrangements for networking
    • H04B10/272—Star-type networks or tree-type networks

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a passive optical network (PON) system, and to a head-end station for use in such a PON system.
  • PON passive optical network
  • a head-end station includes a time division multiple access (TDMA) master which assembles incoming exchange traffic into TDMA frames. These frames are broadcast via an optical stage onto the fibre network.
  • TDMA time division multiple access
  • Each of a number of terminations connected to the network recognises and responds to an appropriately addressed portion of the data in the broadcast frame and ignores the remainder of the frame.
  • a head-end station for a passive optical network system arranged to transmit downstream TDMA frames and receive upstream TDMA frames
  • which head-end station comprises a TDMA master and an optical stage connected to the TDMA master
  • the TDMA master comprising means for assembling incoming data into downstream TDMA frames and means for demultiplexing upstream TDMA frames
  • the optical stage being arranged to be connected to a fibre network and comprising an optical transmitter arranged to modulate an optical signal with downstream TDMA frames output by the TDMA master
  • an optical receiver arranged to detect an optical signal carrying upstream TDMA frames, characterised by: at least one further optical stage connected to the TDMA master, being arranged to be connected to a respective fibre network, and whose optical transmitter is arranged to modulate an optical signal with said downstream TDMA frames output by the TDMA master; and by the demultiplexing means being arranged to demultiplex each upstream TDMA frame.
  • the present invention by providing a head-end station the output of which is split prior to the optical stage, makes possible the connection of several fibre networks to a single head-end station.
  • the number of terminations which can be accommodated in this fashion is unconstrained by the optical power budget, the only practical limit being afforded by the data capacity of the TDMA master itself.
  • a considerable saving in cost is achieved by comparison with alternative approaches such as the use of separate parallel networks each having its own head-end station.
  • a passive optical network system comprising a passive optical fibre network connected to a head-end station including a TDMA master and an optical stage connected to the TDMA master and to the optical fibre network, the system being characterised by at least one further passive optical fibre network connected to a corresponding further optical stage in the head-end station, and in that the optical stages are connected in common to the TDMA master.
  • a TPON system (sometimes referred to as a network) comprises a head-end station 1, a number of terminations 2, and a passive optical fibre network 3, linking the head-end station 1 to the terminations 2.
  • the fibre network 3 comprises two parallel networks 3a, 3b. Although, for clarity, only three terminations 2 are shown connected to each of the parallel networks 3a, 3b, in practice typically 32 terminations 2 are connected via each network 3a, 3b to the head-end station 1.
  • the head-end station 1 is located in a local telephone exchange and the terminations 2 are subscriber stations in domestic or commercial premises or in street cabinets in the neighbourhood of the local exchange.
  • the head-end station 1 broadcasts data over the fibre network 3 as downstream time division multiple access (TDMA) frames a predetermined format.
  • the frames include control channels addressed to specific ones of the terminations 2 to control, amongst other parameters, the amplitude and timing of the optical signals transmitted onto the fibre network 3 by the terminations 2.
  • each termination 2 transmits data in a predetermined time slot.
  • the data is processed at the head-end station 1 by a TDMA master 5 in which the upstream frames are demultiplexed by a demultiplexer 6 and arranged in TDM frames as outgoing exchange traffic.
  • a multiplexer 7 in the same TDMA master 5 assembles incoming exchange traffic into TDMA frames for broadcasting in the downstream direction.
  • Each termination has an individual address and responds only to correspondingly addressed portions of any transmission. Accordingly, throughout the TPON system, data can be broadcast without requiring the routing of specific frames through specific paths.
  • the broadcast structure is extended in the head-end station itself by the connection of multiple optical stages 4a, 4b in common to output 8 of a single TDMA master so as to receive a broadcast output from the master.
  • the TDMA master as well assembling the downstream frames and disassembling the upstream frames received from the network, carries out control functions such as housekeeping.
  • Each optical stage includes a transmitter TXa, Txb including an optical source, typically a laser diode, and a receiver RXa, RXb which incorporates a photo-sensitive detector and converts incoming optical signals into electrical signals which are output to the master from both analogue A and digital D outputs.
  • the TDMA master includes a branched output which is connected to the transmitters in each of the optical stages.
  • the TDMA master also includes a dual input 9 comprising a digital OR gate connected to digital outputs of each of the receivers and an analogue input connected in common to the analogue output of each receiver.
  • PCT/GB90/01758 the provision of an analogue output enables high speed sampling of the incoming signal by the TDMA master for control and diagnostic purposes.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computing Systems (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Small-Scale Networks (AREA)
  • Time-Division Multiplex Systems (AREA)
  • Optical Communication System (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)

Abstract

A head-end station (1) is provided for a passive optical network system arranged to transmit downstream TDMA frames and receive upstream TDMA frames. The head-end station (1) comprises a TDMA master (5) and a plurality of optical stages (4a, 4b) connected in common to the TDMA master (5). The TDMA master (5) assembles incoming data into downstream TDMA frames and demultiplexes upstream TDMA frames. Each optical stage (4a, 4b) is arranged to be connected to a different respective fibre network (3a, 3b) and includes an optical transmitter which modulates an optical signal with downstream TDMA frames from the TDMA master (5) together with an optical receiver arranged to detect an optical signal carrying upstream TDMA frames.

Description

  • The present invention relates to a passive optical network (PON) system, and to a head-end station for use in such a PON system.
  • As described in the present applicant's International Patent Applications numbers PCT/GB90/01758 and PCT/GB91/00100 (Publications numbers W091/08623 and W091/11867), and also is the present applicant has developed a bit transport system (BTS) for use in a TPON (telephony on a passive optical network) system. In this BTS, a head-end station includes a time division multiple access (TDMA) master which assembles incoming exchange traffic into TDMA frames. These frames are broadcast via an optical stage onto the fibre network. Each of a number of terminations connected to the network recognises and responds to an appropriately addressed portion of the data in the broadcast frame and ignores the remainder of the frame.
  • One major constraint in designing a PON system is the need to remain within a fixed optical power budget. Since the fibre network uses purely passive couplers there is a power loss of 3dB associated with each split. In practice this limits the number of terminations which can be connected to any one head-end station. In one experimental system developed by the applicant, it was found that typically a maximum of 32 terminations could be connected to a single head-end station. Further terminations could not be accommodated within the optical power budget and so required the use of a second network with its own head-end station installed in parallel with the first network.
  • According to the present invention, there is provided a head-end station for a passive optical network system arranged to transmit downstream TDMA frames and receive upstream TDMA frames, which head-end station comprises a TDMA master and an optical stage connected to the TDMA master, the TDMA master comprising means for assembling incoming data into downstream TDMA frames and means for demultiplexing upstream TDMA frames, the optical stage being arranged to be connected to a fibre network and comprising an optical transmitter arranged to modulate an optical signal with downstream TDMA frames output by the TDMA master, and an optical receiver arranged to detect an optical signal carrying upstream TDMA frames, characterised by: at least one further optical stage connected to the TDMA master, being arranged to be connected to a respective fibre network, and whose optical transmitter is arranged to modulate an optical signal with said downstream TDMA frames output by the TDMA master; and by the demultiplexing means being arranged to demultiplex each upstream TDMA frame.
  • The present invention by providing a head-end station the output of which is split prior to the optical stage, makes possible the connection of several fibre networks to a single head-end station. The number of terminations which can be accommodated in this fashion is unconstrained by the optical power budget, the only practical limit being afforded by the data capacity of the TDMA master itself. A considerable saving in cost is achieved by comparison with alternative approaches such as the use of separate parallel networks each having its own head-end station.
  • According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a passive optical network system comprising a passive optical fibre network connected to a head-end station including a TDMA master and an optical stage connected to the TDMA master and to the optical fibre network, the system being characterised by at least one further passive optical fibre network connected to a corresponding further optical stage in the head-end station, and in that the optical stages are connected in common to the TDMA master.
  • A system in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
    • Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a TPON system; and
    • Figure 2 is a block diagram of a head-end station.
  • A TPON system (sometimes referred to as a network) comprises a head-end station 1, a number of terminations 2, and a passive optical fibre network 3, linking the head-end station 1 to the terminations 2. The fibre network 3 comprises two parallel networks 3a, 3b. Although, for clarity, only three terminations 2 are shown connected to each of the parallel networks 3a, 3b, in practice typically 32 terminations 2 are connected via each network 3a, 3b to the head-end station 1. Typically the head-end station 1 is located in a local telephone exchange and the terminations 2 are subscriber stations in domestic or commercial premises or in street cabinets in the neighbourhood of the local exchange.
  • The head-end station 1 broadcasts data over the fibre network 3 as downstream time division multiple access (TDMA) frames a predetermined format. The frames include control channels addressed to specific ones of the terminations 2 to control, amongst other parameters, the amplitude and timing of the optical signals transmitted onto the fibre network 3 by the terminations 2. In the upstream direction, each termination 2 transmits data in a predetermined time slot. The data is processed at the head-end station 1 by a TDMA master 5 in which the upstream frames are demultiplexed by a demultiplexer 6 and arranged in TDM frames as outgoing exchange traffic. A multiplexer 7 in the same TDMA master 5 assembles incoming exchange traffic into TDMA frames for broadcasting in the downstream direction.
  • Each termination has an individual address and responds only to correspondingly addressed portions of any transmission. Accordingly, throughout the TPON system, data can be broadcast without requiring the routing of specific frames through specific paths. The broadcast structure is extended in the head-end station itself by the connection of multiple optical stages 4a, 4b in common to output 8 of a single TDMA master so as to receive a broadcast output from the master. The TDMA master as well assembling the downstream frames and disassembling the upstream frames received from the network, carries out control functions such as housekeeping.
  • The structure of the head-end station is shown in greater detail in Figure 2. Each optical stage includes a transmitter TXa, Txb including an optical source, typically a laser diode, and a receiver RXa, RXb which incorporates a photo-sensitive detector and converts incoming optical signals into electrical signals which are output to the master from both analogue A and digital D outputs. The TDMA master includes a branched output which is connected to the transmitters in each of the optical stages. The TDMA master also includes a dual input 9 comprising a digital OR gate connected to digital outputs of each of the receivers and an analogue input connected in common to the analogue output of each receiver. As described in the present applicant's International Patent Application number PCT/GB90/01758 (incorporated herein) the provision of an analogue output enables high speed sampling of the incoming signal by the TDMA master for control and diagnostic purposes.

Claims (4)

  1. A head-end station (1) for a passive optical network system arranged to transmit downstream TDMA frames and receive upstream TDMA frames, which head-end station (1) comprises a TDMA master (5) and an optical stage (4a) connected to the TDMA master (5), the TDMA master (5) comprising means (7) for assembling incoming data into downstream TDMA frames and means (6) for demultiplexing upstream TDMA frames, the optical stage (4a) being arranged to be connected to a fibre network (3a) and comprising an optical transmitter (TXa) arranged to modulate an optical signal with downstream TDMA frames output by the TDMA master (5), and an optical receiver (RXa) arranged to detect an optical signal carrying upstream TDMA frames, characterised by: at least one further optical stage (4b) connected to the TDMA master (5), being arranged to be connected to a respective fibre network (3b), and whose optical transmitter (TXb) is arranged to modulate an optical signal with said downstream TDMA frames output by the TDMA master (5); and by the demultiplexing means being arranged to demultiplex each upstream TDMA frame.
  2. A head-end station according to claim 1, in which a data output (8) of the TDMA master (5) is connected in common to respective inputs of the transmitters (TXa, TXb) of the plurality of optical stages (4a, 4b), and the outputs of the receivers (RXa, RXb) of the plurality of optical stages (4a, 4b) are connected in parallel to a data input (9) of the TDMA master.
  3. A head-end station according to claim 2, in which the receiver output of each optical stage comprises parallel analogue (A) and digital (D) outputs, and the data input (9) of the TDMA master (5) comprises corresponding digital and analogue inputs connected to the respective digital and analogue outputs of the optical stages.
  4. A passive optical network system comprising a passive optical fibre network (3a) connected to a head-end station (1) including a TDMA master (5) and an optical stage (4a) connected to the TDMA master (5) and to the optical fibre network (3a), the system being characterised by at least one further passive optical fibre network (3b) connected to a corresponding further optical stage (4b) in the head-end station (1), and in that the optical stages (4a, 4b) are connected in common to the TDMA master (5).
EP91917894A 1990-10-18 1991-10-17 Passive optical network Expired - Lifetime EP0553159B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9022682 1990-10-18
GB909022682A GB9022682D0 (en) 1990-10-18 1990-10-18 Passive optical network
PCT/GB1991/001814 WO1992007431A1 (en) 1990-10-18 1991-10-17 Passive optical network

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0553159A1 EP0553159A1 (en) 1993-08-04
EP0553159B1 true EP0553159B1 (en) 1996-09-11

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EP91917894A Expired - Lifetime EP0553159B1 (en) 1990-10-18 1991-10-17 Passive optical network

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US (1) US5854701A (en)
EP (1) EP0553159B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3212998B2 (en)
AU (1) AU8729591A (en)
CA (1) CA2092298C (en)
DE (1) DE69122114T2 (en)
GB (1) GB9022682D0 (en)
HK (1) HK109597A (en)
WO (1) WO1992007431A1 (en)

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US5519830A (en) * 1993-06-10 1996-05-21 Adc Telecommunications, Inc. Point-to-multipoint performance monitoring and failure isolation system
EP0691763B1 (en) * 1994-07-07 2003-09-24 Marconi UK Intellectual Property Ltd Ranging for a telecommunications network
US6334219B1 (en) 1994-09-26 2001-12-25 Adc Telecommunications Inc. Channel selection for a hybrid fiber coax network
USRE42236E1 (en) 1995-02-06 2011-03-22 Adc Telecommunications, Inc. Multiuse subcarriers in multipoint-to-point communication using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
US7280564B1 (en) 1995-02-06 2007-10-09 Adc Telecommunications, Inc. Synchronization techniques in multipoint-to-point communication using orthgonal frequency division multiplexing
GB9704587D0 (en) * 1997-03-05 1997-04-23 Fujitsu Ltd Wavelength-division multiplexing in passive optical networks
JP3769109B2 (en) * 1997-09-10 2006-04-19 富士通株式会社 Optical transmitter, optical receiver, and optical communication method
KR100336718B1 (en) * 1999-12-24 2002-05-13 오길록 Optical Line Termination In ATM-based PON
US6771908B2 (en) * 2001-02-12 2004-08-03 Lucent Technologies Inc. Fast protection switching by snooping on downstream signals in an optical network
US6778781B2 (en) 2001-02-12 2004-08-17 Lucent Technologies Inc. Health check algorithm for protection circuit in optical network
US6868232B2 (en) * 2001-02-12 2005-03-15 Lucent Technologies Inc. Fast protection switching by snooping on upstream signals in an optical network
NL1018499C2 (en) * 2001-07-09 2003-01-16 Bt Ignite Nederland B V Telecommunications terminal for connecting households to external fiber optic network, has passive optical splitter and individual transmitter/receiver at intermediate fiber ends
US6804256B2 (en) * 2001-07-24 2004-10-12 Glory Telecommunications Co., Ltd. Automatic bandwidth adjustment in a passive optical network
US20040208545A1 (en) * 2001-12-13 2004-10-21 Ali Langari Optical switch with enhanced flexibility
US7411980B2 (en) * 2001-12-14 2008-08-12 Broadcom Corporation Filtering and forwarding frames within an optical network
US20060171714A1 (en) * 2005-02-02 2006-08-03 Calix Networks, Inc. Electrically shared passive optical network

Family Cites Families (4)

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DE2922418C2 (en) * 1979-06-01 1981-12-03 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Integrated services message transmission and switching system for sound, images and data
US4776041A (en) * 1986-12-04 1988-10-04 The Mitre Corporation Collision detection in a fiber optic local area network
GB8809258D0 (en) * 1988-04-20 1988-05-25 Dowty Information Systems Ltd Communications systems
US5150247A (en) * 1989-10-30 1992-09-22 Broadband Technologies, Inc. Fiber optic telecommunication system employing continuous downlink, burst uplink transmission format with preset uplink guard band

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU8729591A (en) 1992-05-20
JPH06502049A (en) 1994-03-03
EP0553159A1 (en) 1993-08-04
CA2092298C (en) 1997-12-23
DE69122114D1 (en) 1996-10-17
DE69122114T2 (en) 1997-02-20
HK109597A (en) 1997-08-22
GB9022682D0 (en) 1990-11-28
WO1992007431A1 (en) 1992-04-30
CA2092298A1 (en) 1992-04-19
JP3212998B2 (en) 2001-09-25
US5854701A (en) 1998-12-29

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